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Drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2010

Table Y Drug-related deaths, on the basis of the ONS 'wide' definition, by selected drugs reported, 2000 - 2010

Drugs 1, 2 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
All drug-related deaths 495 551 566 493 546 480 577 630 737 716 692
(on the 'wide' definition)
Amphetamines 3 5 13 10 10 11 11 12 12 7 3
Anti-depressants 3 78 93 82 83 86 67 93 84 101 97 123
Anti-psychotics 4 12 10 8 8 11 5 21 26 25 19 21
Benzodiazepines 5 165 185 248 189 140 110 94 109 150 158 124
Cannabis 24 23 35 21 5 6 3 8 1 0 0
Cocaine 4 20 31 30 38 44 33 47 41 33 34
Diazepam 147 159 217 154 113 90 78 79 116 120 94
Ecstasy-type 12 21 20 15 17 10 12 12 5 2 0
Heroin/diamorphine or Morphine 6 218 221 250 176 226 194 260 291 327 326 256
Methadone 56 71 100 91 80 71 96 115 171 177 177
Paracetamol or a compound 7 120 127 117 85 107 62 53 56 55 43 48
Temazepam 39 20 16 37 5 7 9 4 7 9 3
Tramadol 1 8 6 15 11 16 17 26 32 40 40
Alcohol 164 186 190 168 145 134 151 181 196 187 151

 

1. More than one drug may be reported per death. These are mentions of each drug, so do not add up to the overall total. Up to 2007, some pathologists reported only those drugs which they thought caused, or contributed to, the death. With effect from 2008, pathologists report separately: (a) drugs which were implicated in, or which potentially contributed to, the cause of death; and (b) other drugs which were present but which were not considered to have had any direct contribution to the death The figures for 2008 onwards are on the first basis - i.e. basis (a) - which is now the standard basis for figures for individual drugs. The figures for 2008 have been revised from those published in the '� in 2008' edition. There may be other differences between years and/or areas in the way in which the information was produced - please go to Section 2.
2. The figures for some of the 'controlled' drugs may differ slightly from those given in earlier tables for two reasons. First, they were produced from what was the then GROS's new database, rather than the old database (go to paragraph A4). Second, a small proportion of the deaths which involved controlled drugs were excluded from the figures which appear in the earlier tables, for reasons such as those given in paragraph A3.
3. e.g. amitriptyline, citalopram, dothiepin, fluoexetine, prothaiaden
4. e.g. chlorpromazine, clozapine, olanzapine
5. including diazepam and temazepam (which appear separately below)
6. Please go to paragraph 3.3.1 of commentary.
7. e.g. co-codamol or co-proxamol, or mention of dextropropoxyphene or propoxyphene (even if there is no mention of paracetamol or a compound analgesic)

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